PUBLIC LAW 111–84—OCT. 28, 2009 123 STAT. 2319
SEC. 576. CLARIFICATION REGARDING DELEGATION OF STATE
RESPONSIBILITIES TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.
Nothing in the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee
Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff et seq.) may be construed to prohibit
a State from delegating its responsibilities in carrying out the
requirements of such Act, including any requirements imposed as
a result of the provisions of and amendments made by this Act,
to jurisdictions in the State.
Statement of Thomas E. Perez
Assistant Attorney General
Department of Justice
Before the Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate Concerning Oversight of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice
Presented April 20, 2010
This Administration has made clear its commitment to civil rights enforcement. In his State of the UnionAddress in February, President Obama recognized the importance ofsustained efforts to advance civil rights, and he acknowledged the hardwork of the Civil Rights Division, saying “My administration has a CivilRights Division that is once again prosecuting civil rights violationsand employment discrimination.”
In keeping with the President’s statement, the Department has madeimproving civil rights enforcement one of its high priority performancegoals. I also am personally committed to the restoration andtransformation of the Civil Rights Division, as is the Attorney General,whose support of the Division has been unwavering and complete.<…>
The Section also won a summary judgment decision against Virginia last fall under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens AbsenteeVoting Act for its failure to ensure absentee ballots were timelyprovided to eligible uniformed service members and overseas citizens. Weare working closely with the states and the Department of Defense onimplementation of the new amendments to UOCAVA enacted as part of theMilitary and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act that go into effect at thegeneral election this fall.
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Some of our nation’s most critical and treasured laws are those that advance equal justice and secure equal opportunity. It isthe mission of the Civil Rights Division to make sure those lawscontinue to fulfill their purpose – namely, to protect the rights of allindividuals so that equal opportunity can be a reality for everyoneacross the nation.
Justice Delayed:
Department ignores states’ likely refusal to comply with ballot rules
Notwithstanding overwhelming evidence in 2008 that military voters needed at least 45days to receive and return their absentee ballots, the Voting Section ofthe Civil Rights Divisionstood by as more than 20 states failed to provide military voters withsufficient time to vote. This failure alone cost thousands of militarymembers the right to vote.
Thousands more may suffer the same fate in 2010 despite congressional efforts to modernize military vote law.
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As one Wisconsin legislator recently stated, “If there’s no push from the feds, I’m not certain thatwe will see it happen,” referring to mailing absentee military ballots45 days before the election.
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After the Colorado legislature failed to pass key revisions to implement the MOVE Act, the Coloradosecretary of state’s office admitted that military voters from Coloradowill likely be disenfranchised in 2010, especially if they serve in aremote location like a war zone.
Read it all here.
Read this also:
Holder puts felons over soldiers
More than 17,000 Americans serving overseas were denied the vote in 2008 - but, presumably because military personnel arethought to lean conservative, the liberal Obama administration is in no hurry to correct the situation.
The Justice Department is so unenthusiastic about military voting that its website still liststhe old requirement for a shorter 30-day military voting window, ratherthan the current law mandating 45 days. On the other hand, the Justice Departmenthas no legislative mandate whatsoever to involve itself with helpingfelons to vote, but its website devotes a large section - 2,314 words -to advising felons how to regain voting privileges.
Nothing like disenfranchising those who defend Americans’ privilege of voting. But hey, it’s only the Military…and we know howmuch the progressives just looooove the Military.
~~ But wait! There’s more!
WikiLeaks preparing to release more Afghan files
By: RAPHAEL G. SATTER and ANNE FLAHERTY
Associated Press
LONDON — WikiLeaks spokesman Julian Assange said Thursday his organization is preparing torelease the rest of the secret Afghan war documents it has on file. ThePentagon warned that would be more damaging to security and risk morelives than the organization’s initial release of some 76,000 wardocuments.
<…>
Taliban spokesmen have said they would use the material to try to hunt down people who’ve been cooperating with whatthe Taliban considers a foreign invader.
Those who criticize Wikileaks’ methodology—and they span the ideological spectrum—“feel jealous, or they just don’t understand the issue,” Assange says.
“In journalism we should actually ignore people that say something might happen or could happen.”
“Anything in theory has the potential to harm anything else.”
Rope. Tree. Some assembly required.
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please comment on yankeemom's blog about this. She has been investigating this issue for years and we need to thank her for this. Many totally ignore this issue. So many claim to support our troops but I have found many spout they support the troops but really do not. How can someone close their eyes to this and do nothing? These are the very men and women that protect us and sacrifice so much to protect us...many have given the ultimate sacrifice for us! And yet, their votes are not counted! THEIR VOTES ARE NOT COUNTED!!!
This has been going on far too long! Since the early 90's that I know of. Please help us STOP THIS INJUSTICE!
Twana Blevins
Replies
Many thx!